Looking for a buggy project

[BrianG]

Just an update on the Turnigy pack. I used it twice and noticed cell #4 is always lower than the rest and takes FOREVER to balance out. Even if I charge that cell individually to even it out faster (charging through the balance connector via custom harness at ~500mA), the voltage falls quicker than the rest. So look like there is a bad cell. That sucks, but there is some good news.

I got this pack from my LHS (they started carrying all kinds of Turnigy stuff recently), but they have a ~75% markup. Yeah, that's high, but I figured I would support my LHS. And I'm glad I did. Once I explained my situation (the guys there know that I know what I'm doing), they replaced the bad pack on the spot. So really, what did I lose? If I had gotten the pack from HC, I would be faced with a huge waiting period, not to mention the extra shipping charges to and from there. Either that or just remove the bad cell to make a 3s pack and buy another 4s.

This got me thinking: I wonder how many people would be willing to pay a few extra bucks if they could get these locally (or even through RCM)? A little peace of mind and less waiting is always nice. The price would be higher, but still lower than most (if not all) other brands.